Delta Air Lines and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating after a 4-foot-by-8-foot panel came loose and fell from the wing of one of the carrier's Boeing 757s during a flight from Orlando to Atlanta.
The aircraft – flying as Delta Filght 2412 – landed safely in Atlanta around 7:30 p.m. ET on Sunday. The pilot had declared emergency prior to the landing, Delta spokesman Anthony Black tellsBloomberg News
"The crew … followed procedure by declaring an emergency to air traffic control as they were landing, which gave them priority clearance to land and alerted ground crews," Black adds to NBC News.
It was unknown exactly when the panel came loose on the flight, which departed Orlando around 5:30 p.m. ET
Speaking to CNN, Black called the incident "highly unusual" but said "the problems with the wing did not affect the plane's ability to fly."
There were 179 passengers and six crew on the flight, according to Delta. None were hurt.
Flight 2412 passenger David Watterson tells ABC News he was falling asleep when he heard what sounded like a big boom. Then, he says he saw a section of the plane's wing was exposed with fluid leaking.
"All the passengers were remarkably calm," he says to ABC.
He tells the network he didn't feel as though the aircraft was in immediate danger, but he acknowledges it was "concerning to see a big chunk of the plane missing."
Delta alerted FAA officials about the incident, and now both are investigating,according to AP.
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